Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria: significant association with specific HLA-A, -B, -C, and -DR alleles in an Italian population.

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is characterized by the expansion of a PIG-A mutated hematopoietic stem cell. An immune-mediated origin has been suggested for this disease. Because HLA genes represent a susceptibility factor for autoimmunity, we investigated HLA genotype in 42 Italian PNH patients compared with 301 control subjects of the same ethnic origin.

Differential regulation of metabolic, neuroendocrine, and immune function by leptin in humans.

To elucidate whether the role of leptin in regulating neuroendocrine and immune function during short-term starvation in healthy humans is permissive, i.e., occurs only when circulating leptin levels are below a critical threshold level, we studied seven normal-weight women during a normoleptinemic-fed state and two states of relative hypoleptinemia induced by 72-h fasting during which we administered either placebo or recombinant methionyl human leptin (r-metHuLeptin) in replacement doses.

Immune phenotype and serum leptin in children with obesity-related liver disease.

Context: Little is known about pathogenesis of obesity-related liver disease in childhood. Data on the relationship among leptin, immunological parameters, and liver disease in obese children are lacking.

Objective: Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate immune phenotype and leptin serum levels in obese children with and without obesity-related liver disease.

Leptin increase in multiple sclerosis associates with reduced number of CD4(+)CD25+ regulatory T cells.

We analyzed the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leptin secretion and the interaction between serum leptin and CD4(+)CD25+ regulatory T cells (T(Regs)) in naive-to-therapy relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients. Leptin production was significantly increased in both serum and CSF of RRMS patients and correlated with IFN-gamma secretion in the CSF. T cell lines against human myelin basic protein (hMBP) produced immunoreactive leptin and up-regulated the expression of the leptin receptor (ObR) after activation with hMBP.